PicoScope 6 User's Guide

PicoScope 6 User's Guide45Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.1.3Waveform Library BrowserLocation:File > Waveform Library Browser (PicoScope Automotive only)Purpose:allows you to search hundreds of user-uploaded waveforms by enteringvarious fields of required data. Once found, the waveform can bepreviewed, opened, or even its individual channels used as referencewaveforms on your PicoScope screen.

Menus46Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.2Edit menuLocation:Menu bar > EditPurpose:gives access to the clipboard-related and note editing functionsCopy as Image. Copies the active view to the clipboard as a bitmap. You can thenpaste the image into any application that accepts bitmap images.Copy as Text. Copies the data in the active view to the clipboard as text. You canpaste the data into a spreadsheet or other application. The text format is the same asthat used by the Save As dialog when you select the .txt format.Copy Entire Window as Image. This copies a picture of the PicoScope window to theclipboard. It is provided as an alternative equivalent to pressing Alt-PrtScn for users oflaptops without a PrtScn key. You can paste the picture into any application that candisplay pictures, such as a word processor or desktop publishing program.Notes. Opens a Notes area at the bottom of the PicoScope window. You can type orpaste your own notes in this area.Details. [PicoScope Automotive only] Opens the Details dialog, which allows you toenter or view vehicle details, customer details, Notes and Channel Labels.6.2.1NotesLocation:Edit > NotesEdit > Details(PicoScope Automotive only)Advanced Options toolbar > Notes buttonPurpose:provides a text box for typing your own notes

PicoScope 6 User's Guide47Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39A Notes area can be displayed at the bottom of the PicoScope window. You can enterany text you wish in this area. You can also copy text from another program and pasteit here. This text is included when you save the waveform as a file.6.2.2Channel Labels (PicoScope Automotive only)Location:Edit > DetailsAdvanced Options toolbar > Channel Labels buttonPurpose:allows you to supply and view information on the waveformsChannel Labels can be displayed at the bottom of the PicoScope window.Label:Select a standard label from the drop-down list or type any textin the box.Description:Type any text in the box to describe the waveform.Status:Select Good Bad, or Unknown. This helps other engineers toidentify whether the waveform is from a working engine or afaulty one.

Menus48Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.2.3Details dialog (PicoScope Automotive only)Location:File > Save AsEdit > DetailsPurpose:allows you to record channel labels, and vehicle and customer details,before saving a file.Details dialog showing vehicle information. Customer information (notshown) can also be entered.All of this information will be saved in the PicoScope data file. It can then be viewed inPicoScope using the Edit > Details menu command.Additionally, the Notes and Channel Labels can be displayed at the bottom of thePicoScope window by clicking the Notes and Channel Labels buttons in the lowertoolbar.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide49Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.3Views menuLocation:Menu bar > Views, or right-click on a viewPurpose:controls the layout of the current view, which is arectangular area of the PicoScope window thatdisplay scope, spectrum or other kinds of dataThe contents of the Views menu may vary depending on whereyou click and how many views are open. If the current viewcontains a Measurements table, a combined Measurements menuand Views menu will appear.Add View:Add a view of the selected type (scope XY, orspectrum). In automatic grid layout mode (thedefault), PicoScope rearranges the grid tomake room for the new view, up to a limit offour views. Any further views will be added astabs in existing viewports. If you haveselected a fixed grid layout, PicoScope will notchange it.Sub View:(Mixed signal oscilloscopes only) Switch theanalog view and digital view on and offindependently.Rename View:Change the standard 'Scope' or 'Spectrum' label to a title ofyour choice.Close View:Remove a view from the PicoScope window. In automatic gridlayout mode (the default), PicoScope rearranges the grid tomake the best use of the remaining space. In fixed grid layoutmode (if you have selected a grid fixed layout), PicoScope willnot change the grid.Channels:Select which channels are visible in the current view. Eachview, when created, shows all the input channels, but youcan switch them on and off using this command. Only theinput channels that are enabled (not set to Off in the ChannelSetup Toolbar) are available for viewing. The Channels menualso list math channels and reference waveforms. You canselect up to 8 channels in any view.X-Axis:Select any suitable channel to drive the X axis. By default,the X axis represents time. If you select an input channelinstead, the scope view will become an XY view that plotsone input against another. A quicker way to create an XYview is to use the Add View command (see above).Grid Layout:The grid layout defaults to Automatic mode, in whichPicoScope automatically arranges views in a grid. You canalso select one of the standard grid layouts or create acustom layout, which PicoScope will preserve as you add orremove views.Arrange Grid Layout:Adjust the grid layout to fit the number of views. Moves anytabbed views to empty viewports. Overrides any previouschoice of grid layout.

Menus50Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Reset View Sizes:If you have resized any of the views by dragging the verticalor horizontal separator bars between viewports, this optionresets all the viewports to their original sizes.Move View To:Move a view to a specified viewport. You can achieve thesame effect by dragging the view by its name tab anddropping it in a new viewport. See How to move a view.Arrange views:If multiple views are stacked in the same viewport, movethem into their own viewports.Auto-arrange axes:Scale and offsets all traces to fill the view and avoid overlaps.Reset View Layout:Reset the scale factor and offset of the selected view to theirdefault values.View Properties:Show the Properties sheet, which lists scope settings that arenormally hidden.Reference Waveforms:Copy one of the available channels to a new ReferenceWaveform and add it to the view.Masks:Select which masks (see Mask Limit Testing) are visible.Add Measurement:Edit Measurement:See Measurements menu.Delete Measurement:6.3.1Custom grid layout dialogLocation:right-click on view > Views menu > Grid Layout > Custom layout... or Views > Grid LayoutPurpose:if the Grid Layout section of the Views menu does not contain thelayout you want, this dialog gives further optionsYou can lay out the view grid with any number of rows and columns up to 4 by 4. Youcan then drag the views to different locations in the grid.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide51Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.4Measurements menuLocation:Menu bar > MeasurementsPurpose:controls the Measurements tableAdd measurement. Adds a row to the measurements table, and opensthe Edit Measurement Dialog. You can also find this button on theMeasurements toolbar.Edit measurement. This takes you to the Edit Measurement Dialog. Youcan find this button on the Measurements toolbar, or you can edit ameasurement by double-clicking on a row of the measurements Table.Delete measurement. Removes the selected row from themeasurements table. You can also find this button on the Measurementstoolbar.Grid font size. Sets the font size for the entries in the measurementstable.Column Auto-width. If this button is pressed, the columns of themeasurements table will continually adjust to fit the contents wheneverthe table changes. Click again to release the button.

Menus52Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.4.1Add / Edit Measurement dialogLocation:Measurements toolbar > Add Measurement or EditMeasurement buttonViews menu > Add Measurement or Edit Measurement buttonDouble-click a measurement in the measurements tablePurpose: allows you to add a measurement of a waveform to the selected view,or edit an existing measurementPicoScope automatically refreshes the measurement every time it updates thewaveform. If this is the first measurement for the view, PicoScope will create a new measurements table to display the measurement; otherwise, it will add the newmeasurement to the bottom of the existing table.ChannelWhich of the scope device's channels to measure.TypePicoScope can calculate a wide range of measurements for waveforms.See scope measurements (for use with scope views) or spectrummeasurements (for use with spectrum views).SectionMeasure the whole trace, just the section between rulers, or, whereappropriate, a single cycle marked by one of the rulers.AdvancedGives access to advanced measurement settings.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide53Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.4.2Advanced measurement settingsLocation:Add Measurement or Edit Measurement dialog > AdvancedPurpose:adjusts parameters of certain measurements such as filtering and spectrum analysisThresholdSome measurements, such as Rise Time and Fall Time, can bemade using different thresholds. Select the appropriate oneshere. When comparing rise and fall times with manufacturers'specifications, it is important to use the same thresholds for allmeasurements.Spectrum SpanWhen measuring peak-related parameters such as Frequency atPeak in a spectrum view, PicoScope can search for a peak nearto the specified ruler location. This option tells PicoScope howmany frequency bins to search. The default is 5, which tellPicoScope to search from 2 bins below to 2 bins above the rulerfrequency, giving a total range of 5 bins including the rulerfrequency.

Menus54Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Filter controlPicoScope can low-pass filter the statistics to produce morestable and more accurate numbers. Filtering is not available onall measurement types.Enable Filter - check to enable low-pass filtering, if available.An will appear after the measurement name in theFmeasurements table.Automatic - check to set the low-pass filter characteristicsautomaticallyCutoff FrequencyThe filter cut-off frequency normalised to the measurement rate.Range: 0 to 0.5.Filter SizeThe number of samples used to construct the filterHarmonic ControlThese options apply to distortion measurements in spectrumviews. You can specify which harmonics PicoScope uses forthese measurements.Highest Harmonic The highest harmonic to include when calculating distortionpowerSearch RangeThe number of frequency bins to search, centred on theexpected frequency, when looking for a harmonic peakHarmonic NoiseFloorThe level in dB above which signal peaks will be counted asharmonics

PicoScope 6 User's Guide55Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5Tools menuLocation:Menu bar > ToolsPurpose:gives access to assorted tools for signal analysis Custom Probes: Define new probes and copy, delete, move and edit existingones.Math Channels: Add or edit a channel that is a mathematical function of oneor more other channels.Reference Waveforms: Create, load or save a channel as a copy of anexisting channel.Serial Decoding: Decode and display the contents of serial data stream suchas CAN bus.Alarms: Specify actions to be taken on certain events.Masks: Perform mask limit testing on a waveform. This detect when thewaveform departs from a specified shape.Macro Recorder: Save a frequently-used sequence of operations.Preferences: Set various options that control PicoScope's behavior.

Menus56Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1Custom Probes dialogLocation:Tools > Custom Probes, or click the Channel Options button: Purpose:allows you to select predefined probes and set up custom probesThe selection of probes shown may vary depending on the version of the PicoScopesoftware that you are using.Understanding the probe listAll the probes that PicoScope knows about are listed under three main headings: Built-in Library , and Loaded. The probe list is preserved between sessions, so thatPicoScope will never forget your custom probes unless you delete them.Built-in probes. The built-in probes are supplied by Pico Technology and do notchange unless you download an authorized update from us. As a safeguard,PicoScope does not allow you to edit or delete these probes. If you want to modifyone of them, you can copy it to your library by clicking Duplicate, and then edit thecopy in your library.Library probes. These are the probes that you have created using any of themethods described in this topic. You can edit, delete or duplicate any of theseprobes by clicking the appropriate button in this dialog.Loaded probes. Probes in PicoScope data files (.psdata) or settings files(.pssettings) that you have opened appear here until you copy them to yourlibrary. You cannot edit or delete these probes directly, but you can click Duplicateto copy them to your library where you can edit them. You can also import probesfrom the custom ranges stored in PicoScope 5 .psd and .pss files, but these lacksome of the features provided by PicoScope 6. (See Upgrading from PicoScope 5 formore details).

PicoScope 6 User's Guide57Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Adding a new probe to your libraryThere are three ways to create a new probe:1. Use the Duplicate button as described above.2. Click New Probe... to define a new probe.3. Click Import to load a probe definition from a *.psprobe file and add it to yourlibrary. These files are normally supplied by Pico, but you can also create your ownby defining a new probe and then clicking Export.Methods 2 and 3 open the Custom Probe Wizard to guide you through the probedefinition process.6.5.1.1Custom Probe wizardLocation:Custom Probes dialog > New ProbePurpose:allows you to define custom probes and set up custom ranges The first dialog in the series is either the Create a new Custom Probe dialogor the Editan existing Custom Probe dialog.6.5.1.1.1Create New Custom Probe dialogLocation:Custom Probes dialog > New ProbePurpose:introduces you to the process for creating a new custom probe How to use the dialogClick Next to continue to the Probe Output Units dialog.

Menus58Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.2Edit Existing Custom Probe dialogLocation:Custom Probes dialog > EditPurpose:introduces you to the process for editing an existing custom probeHow to use the dialogClick Next to continue to the Probe Output Units dialog, where you can edit thecustom probe.Click Jump forward... if you have already set up the custom probe's basiccharacteristics and want to add or change a custom range manually.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide59Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.3Probe Output Units dialogLocation:Create new Custom Probe dialog > NextPurpose:allows you to choose the units that PicoScope will use to display theoutput of your custom probeHow to use the dialogTo choose a standard SI unit, click Use a standard unit from the list and selectone from the list.To enter a custom unit, click Use the custom unit defined below and type theunit name and symbol.Click Next to continue to the Scaling Method dialog.Click Back to return to the Create New Custom Probe dialog if this is a new probe,or the Edit Existing Custom Probe dialog if this is an existing probe.

Menus60Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.4Scaling Method dialogLocation:Probe Output Units dialog > NextPurpose:allows you to define the characteristic that PicoScope will use to convertthe custom probe's voltage output to a measurement on the display How to use the dialogIf you do not require any scaling or offset, click the Don't apply any scalingbutton.If the probe requires linear scaling, click the Use a linear equation button andenter the gradient (or scale factor) m and the offset c in the equation = ymx + ,cwhere is the displayed value and is the probe's voltage output.yxIf you wish to apply a nonlinear function to the probe's output, choose Use a look-up table..., then click the Create a Lookup Table... button to create a new lookuptable. This will take you to the Lookup-table Scaling dialog.Click Next to continue to the Range Management dialog.Click Back to return to the Probe Output Units dialog.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide61Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.4.1 Lookup-table Scaling dialogLocation:Scaling Method dialog > Create a Look-up Table or Edit the LookupTable...Purpose: creates a look-up table to calibrate a custom probeEditing the Look-up TableFirst, select suitable values in the Input units and Scaled units drop-down boxes. Forexample, if your probe is a current clamp that outputs one millivolt per ampere over therange -600 to +600 amperes, select Input units of millivolts and Output units ofamperes.Next, enter some data in the scaling table. Click the first empty cell at the top of thetable and type -600, then hit the Tab key and type -600. When you are ready to enterthe next pair of values, press the Tab key again to start a new row. You can alsoright-click on the table to obtain a more detailed menu of options, as shown in thepicture. In the example above, we have entered a slightly nonlinear response; if theresponse had been linear then it would have been easier to use the linear option in the Scaling Method Dialog.Import/ExportUsing the Import and Export buttons, you can fill the look-up table from data in acomma-separated or tab-delimited text file, and save the look-up table to new file.FinishingClicking OK or Cancel will return you to the Scaling Method dialog.

Menus62Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.5Range Management dialogLocation:Scaling Method dialog > NextPurpose:allows you to override PicoScope's automatic range-creation feature forcustom probes. In most cases, the automatic procedure will besufficient. How to use the dialogIf you select Let the software manage my ranges for me automatically, thenclicking Next will take you to the Custom Probe Identification dialog. PicoScope'sautomatic ranges should be ideal for most applications.If you select I will manage the Custom Probe Ranges manually, clicking Nextwill take you to the Manual Ranges Setup dialog.Click Back to return to the Scaling Method dialog.What is Auto-ranging?When the Auto-ranging function is selected, PicoScope continually monitors the inputsignal and adjusts the range when necessary to allow it to display the signal withmaximum resolution. This function is available on all standard ranges, and can be usedwith custom ranges only if you select Let the software manage my ranges for meautomatically in this dialog.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide63Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.6Manual Ranges Setup dialogLocation:Range Management dialog > Advanced > NextPurpose:creates ranges manually for your custom probeHow to use the dialogIf you wish, you can click Auto Generate Ranges and the program will create anumber of ranges for the selected device. This will create the same list of ranges thatyou would have obtained by selecting Let the software manage my ranges for meautomatically in the previous dialog. When you select a range, a diagram below thelist will show its relationship to the scope device's input range — this is explainedfurther under Edit range dialog. You can then edit the ranges by clicking Edit , or youcan also add a new range by clicking New Range . Both of these buttons take you tothe Edit Range dialog.Click Next to continue to the Filter Method dialog.Click Back to return to the Range Management dialog.How to use a new custom rangeAfter you have createda custom range, it willappear in the drop-down list of ranges inthe channels toolbar,like this:

Menus64Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.6.1 Edit Range dialogLocation:Manual Ranges Setup dialog > Edit or New RangePurpose:editing a manual range for a custom probeAutomatic modeIf you leave the Automatic radio button pressed, the program will automaticallydetermine the best hardware input range for the device as you change the Scaledrange limits. This is the best mode to use for almost all ranges. You should set theScaled range limits to the maximum and minimum values you wish to see on thevertical axis of the scope display.Fixed range modeIf you press the Hardware input range radio button and select a hardware inputrange from the drop-down box, PicoScope will then use that hardware input rangewhatever scaled range limits you choose. Set the upper and lower scaled range limitsto the limits you wish to appear at the top and bottom of the vertical axis inPicoScope's scope view.What is an input range?An input range is the signal range, usually in volts, on the input channel of the scopedevice. Your scaled range should match this as closely as possible to make the most ofthe scope's resolution.What is a scaled range?The scaled range is the range that will appear on the vertical axis of the scope displaywhen the probe is selected.The scaling that you chose on the Scaling Method page defines the relationshipbetween the input range and the scaled range. This dialog enables you to set upranges to display the scaled data on the scope view.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide65Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39The range utilization barThis diagram at the bottom of the dialog shows how well the input range of the deviceis matched to the scaled range.•Green - The section of the input range that is used by the scaled range. Thisshould be as large as possible, to maximise the use of the scope device'sresolution.•Blue - Areas of the input range that are not being used. These indicate wastedresolution.•Grey - Parts of the scaled range that are not covered by the input range. Thesewill result in wasted space on the graph. The range utilization bar may notrepresent these areas accurately when non-linear scaling is being used, so youshould always test the scaled range limits on the scope view.Advanced tabFinishingClicking OK or Cancel will return you to the Manual Ranges Setup dialog.

Menus66Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.6.2 Edit Range dialog (Advanced tab)Location:Manual Ranges Setup dialog > Edit or New Range > Advanced tab Purpose:configuring advanced options for custom probesThese options are for factory use and we recommend that you do not change them.FinishingClicking OK or Cancel will return you to the Manual Ranges Setup dialog.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide67Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.7Filter Method dialogLocation:Manual Ranges Setup dialog > NextPurpose:sets up lowpass filtering for this custom probe This dialog has the same effect as manually enabling the Lowpass Filtering option inthe Channel Options dialog. Filtering will only occur if the attached scope devicesupports filtering.Back: Go to the Manual Range Setup dialogNext: Go to the Custom Probe Identification dialog

Menus68Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.8Custom Probe Identification dialogLocation:Range Management dialog > NextPurpose:entering text to identify the custom probeHow to use the dialogClick Back to return to the Filter Method dialog.The probe name will appear in the probe list.The description is not used in the present version of the software.Fill in the text fields and click Next to continue to the Custom Probe Finished dialog.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide69Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.1.1.9Custom Probe Finished dialogLocation:Custom Probe Identification dialog > NextPurpose:signals the end of the custom probe setup procedure How to use the dialogClick Back to return to the Custom Probe Identification dialog.Click Finish to accept your custom probe settings and return to the Custom Probesdialog.

Menus70Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2Math Channels dialogLocation:Tools > Math ChannelsPurpose:creating editing, and controlling math channels, which are virtualchannels generated by mathematical functions of input channelsMath Channel listThe main area of the Math Channels dialog is the MathChannel list, which shows all the built-in, library and loadedmath channels. To choose whether or not a channel appears inthe main PicoScope window, click the appropriate check box andthen OK. You can have up to 8 channels in any view, includinginput channels and math channels. If you enable a 9th channel,PicoScope opens a new view.Built In: these math channels are defined by PicoScope andcannot be changedLibrary: these are the math channels that you define using theCreate or Duplicate button, Edit, or load with the ImportbuttonLoaded: these are the math channels present in any PicoScopesettings or data files that you have loadedCreateOpens the Math Channel Wizard, which guides you through theprocess of creating or editing a math channel. The new channelwill appear under Library in the Math Channel list.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide71Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39EditOpens the Math Channel Wizard to allow you to edit the selectedmath channel. You must first select a channel in the Librarysection of the Math Channel list. If the channel you want toedit is in the Built In or Loaded section, first copy it to theLibrary section by clicking Duplicate, then select it and clickEdit.DeletePermanently deletes the selected math channel. Only mathchannels in the Library section can be deleted.DuplicateCreates a copy of the selected math channel. The copy is placedin the Library section, from where you can edit it by clickingEdit.ImportOpens a .psmaths math channel file and places the mathchannels it contains in the Library section.ExportSaves all math channels from the Library section to a new.psmaths file.

Menus72Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1Math Channel WizardLocation:Channel Setup toolbar > Math Channels buttonPurpose:creating, editing and controlling math channels, which are virtualchannels generated by mathematical functions of input channels1. Introduction2. Equation3. Channel name4. Units and range5. Finished

PicoScope 6 User's Guide73Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1.1Math Channel Wizard Introduction dialogLocation:Math Channels dialog > Create (if you have not ticked the Don't showme this introduction page again check box) Purpose:introduces the Math Channel Wizard

Menus74Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1.2Math Channel Wizard Equation dialogLocation:Math Channel WizardPurpose:allows you to enter or edit the equation for a math channel. You cantype directly into the equation box, or click the calculator buttons andlet the program insert the symbols for you. A red error indicator willappear to the right of the equation box if the equation contains a syntaxerror. Basic viewMath Channel Wizard Equation dialog, basic viewBasic buttonsButtonEquationDescriptionClear Equation. Clears the entire contents of theequation box.Clear. Clears the single character to the left of thecursor.+Add–Subtract (or negate)*Multiply/Divide...A...DInput Channels. The selection available dependson the number of enabled channels on the scopedevice.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide75Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39{...}, TOther Operands. Shows a drop-down list ofavailable inputs to equations, including referencewaveforms and Time.(...)Brackets. Expressions within brackets will beevaluated before the expressions to either side.Advanced viewClicking the Advanced button reveals more function buttons. Initially these are theMain group of buttons, as shown below.Equation Editor Advanced view, showing Main buttonsAdvanced buttons (numeric keypad)ButtonEquationDescription...0..90 to 9. The decimal digits..Decimal pointEExponent.a b E means a × 10 .bAdvanced buttons (Main group)ButtonEquationDescriptionsqrt()Square root^Power. Raise to the power of xy.ln()Natural logarithm

Menus76Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39abs()Absolute valuefreq()Frequency. Calculated in hertz.norm()Normalise. PicoScope calculates the maximum andminimum values of the argument over the captureperiod, and then scales and offsets the argument sothat it exactly fits the range [0, +1] units.exp()Natural exponent. Raise , the base of the naturalelogarithm, to the power of .xlog()Logarithm. Base-10 logarithm.derivative()Derivative. Calculated with respect to the x-axis. Note: the derivative of a sampled signal contains alarge amount of noise, so it is advisable to apply digital low-pass filtering to all channels used asinputs to this function.integral()Integral. Along the x-axis.Click Trigonometric, Buffered or Filters to reveal alternative groups of buttons:Advanced buttons (Trigonometric group)ButtonEquationDescriptionpiPi. The ratio of a circle's circumference to itsdiameter.Inverse. Modifies the sin cos, and tan buttons tothe inverse trigonometric functions asin acos, andatan.sin()Sine. The operand is in radians.cos()Cosine. The operand is in radians.tan()Tangent. The operand is in radians.sinh()Hyperbolic sine.cosh()Hyperbolic cosine.tanh()Hyperbolic tangent.Advanced buttons (Buffered group)When the scope is running, these functions operate continuously on all waveformssince the scope started capturing. If a math channel containing these functions isenabled when the scope is stopped, it operates on the contents of the waveformbuffer instead.ButtonEquationDescriptionmin()Minimum. Negative peak detect of all previouswaveforms.max()Maximum. Positive peak detect of all previouswaveforms.average()Average. Arithmetic mean of all previouswaveforms.peak()Peak detect. Display maximum-to-minimum range ofall previous waveforms.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide77Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Advanced buttons (Filters group)Parameters:i is the input channel or other operand (see under Basic buttons above)f (or and ) are the –3 dB cutoff frequencies of the filter, in hertzf1f2ButtonEquationDescriptionHighPass( )i,fHigh pass filter. Attenuates low frequencies.LowPass( )i,fLow pass filter. Attenuates high frequencies.BandPass(i,f ,f12 )Band pass filter. Attenuates high and lowfrequencies outside the specified range.BandStop(i,f ,f12 )Band stop filter. Attenuates mid-band frequenciesinside the specified range.These are digital filters with a finite number of taps and therefore cannot attenuatedown to DC. They have a minimum cutoff frequency of 1/64 000 of the scope'ssampling rate. You can find the current sampling rate displayed in the Properties sheet.Additional functionsThere are a few operators that can be entered only by using the equation box:Signum function. The sign() operator returns the sign of its input. The result is +1when the input is positive, –1 when the input is negative, and 0 when the input is 0.Advance/Delay. Add [ ]t after a channel name to advance it by seconds. Fortexample, A[0.001] is equal to Channel A advanced by 1 millisecond, and A[–0.001] isequal to Channel A delayed by 1 millisecond.

Menus78Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1.3Math Channel Wizard Name dialogLocation:Math Channel WizardPurpose:allows you to enter or edit the name and color of a math channelPicoScope initially sets the name to the text of the equation, but you can edit it toanything you like. The name will appear in the channel list in the Math Channels dialog.You can set the color of the trace to one of the standard colors in the drop-down-list,or click Custom to choose any possible color allowed by Windows.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide79Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1.4Math Channel Wizard Units and Range dialogLocation:Math Channel WizardPurpose:allows you to specify the measurement units and the range of values todisplay for a math channelUnits, Long Name: This is for your reference only.Units, Short Name: This will be displayed on the measurement axis in scope andspectrum views, in the ruler legend and in the measurements table.Range: If you leave the check box empty, PicoScope will choose the most appropriaterange for the measurement axis. If you prefer to set your own values for the minimumand maximum extremes of the measurement axis, tick the check box and enter them inthe Min and Max boxes.

Menus80Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.2.1.5Math Channel Wizard Finished dialogLocation:Math Channel WizardPurpose:shows you the settings for the math channel that you have just createdor edited Back. Click this button to return to previous dialogs in the Math Channel Wizardif youwish to change any of the settings.Finish. Click this button to accept the settings shown and return to the Math Channelsdialog. If you want the new or edited channel to appear on the scope or spectrumdisplay, remember to tick the appropriate check box in the channel list. You can changethem later by clicking the Math Channels button in the Channel Setup toolbar.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide81Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.3Reference Waveforms dialogLocation:Tools > Reference WaveformsPurpose:enables you to create, edit and control reference waveforms, which arestored copies of input channels ReferenceWaveforms list Waveforms listThe main area of the Reference Waveforms dialog is the Reference, which shows all the available input channels and thelibrary and loaded reference waveforms. To choose whether or not awaveform appears in the main PicoScope window, click theappropriate check box and then OK. You can have up to 8 channels inany view, including input channels, math channels and referencewaveforms. If you try to enable a 9th channel, PicoScope will openanother view.Available: these input channels are suitable as sources for referencewaveformsLibrary: these are the reference waveforms that you have definedusing the Duplicate button or loaded with the Import buttonLoaded: these are the reference waveforms present in any PicoScopesettings or data files that you have loadedEditOpens the Edit Reference Waveform dialogto allow you to edit theselected reference waveform. You must first select a waveform in the Library section of the Reference Waveforms list. If the waveformyou want to edit is in the Loaded section, first copy it to the Librarysection by clicking Duplicate, then select it and click Edit.DeletePermanently deletes the selected reference waveform. Only referencewaveforms in the Library section can be deleted.

Menus82Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39DuplicateCreates a copy of the selected input channel or reference waveform.The copy is placed in the Library section, from where you can edit itby clicking Edit. A quicker way to do the same thing is to right-clickon the view, select Reference Waveforms and then click thechannel that you wish to copy.ImportOpens a .psreference reference waveform file and places thewaveforms it contains in the Library section.ExportSaves all reference waveforms from the Library section to a new.psreference or MATLAB 4 .mat file.6.5.3.1Edit Reference Waveform dialogLocation:Reference Waveforms dialog > Edit Purpose:allows you to edit the name and color of a reference waveformName.PicoScope initially names the waveform after the input channel used as itssource, but you can edit it to anything you like. Here we have named it sine. The name will appear in the waveform list in the Reference Waveformsdialog. Color:You can set the color of the trace to one of the standard colors in thedrop-down-list, or click Custom to choose any color allowed by Windows.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide83Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.4Serial Decoding dialogLocation:Tools > Serial DecodingPurpose:lets you choose which channels to use for serial decoding and set otheroptions The following formats are supported:I²CCAN BusLINFlexRayI²SRS232 (UART)SPIUSB (Single Ended)

Menus84Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Protocols tableThis is where you select which channels to decode, and what serial protocol to use foreach channel. All the available channels are listed in the Channels column. If the channel you want to use is not listed, enable it first by using the Channelstoolbar.For each channel that you want to decode, click in the Protocols column. A drop-down list will appear, containing all the protocols that PicoScope understands. Thelist may vary depending on which version of PicoScope you are using. For multi-channel protocols like I C and SPI, select the data channel. Any other channels will2be specified later. For half-duplex protocols like RS-232, you must decode eachdirection (Tx and Rx in this case) using a separate channel.Select the protocol you wish to use.Change the settings in the Protocol Settings panel if required.Change further settings by clicking Advanced Settingsif required.Check the Enabled box for the channels that you want to decode.Protocol SettingsThe options in this section depend on which protocol is selected.Controls:Opens the Advanced Decoder Settings dialog for optionsthat are rarely changed.Baud Rate.The symbol frequency in baud. Choose one of thestandard values from the drop-down list, type in anarbitrary value, or click to detect the baud rateautomatically.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide85Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Channel.The channel attached to the specified signal. Configurethis to match the connection of the inputs to the scopedevice.Threshold1.For single-threshold decoding, the voltage that definesthe transition in either direction between high and lowlogic states. For dual-threshold decoding, the voltagethat defines the transition from low to high logic states.To activate dual-threshold decoding, check the checkbox to the left of the Threshold2 control.Threshold2.The voltage that defines the transition from high to lowlogic states. Used only with dual-threshold decoding. Toactivate dual-threshold decoding, check the check box tothe left of the Threshold2 control.Signals:I/O, Data or D.Data channel for various protocols. Bit order, number ofbits and polarity are specified in Advanced DecoderSettings.Note: bidirectional SPI can be decoded as two separatebuses, one with Data In (DI) as the I/O signal and theother with Data Out (DO) as the I/O signal. The Clk (andChip Sel if present) can be shared by both buses.Clk, CLK or Clock.Clock for various protocols. The polarity is defined inAdvanced Decoder Settings.Chip Sel.Chip Select for SPI protocol. Polarity is defined inAdvanced Decoder Settings. If there is no Chip Selectsignal, clear the check box.Word Sel.Word Select for I S protocol. Indicates which stereo2channel the data belongs to.Display SettingsName. Type a name to display on the scope view.In Graph shows the data in logic-analyzer style, on the same time axis as theanalog waveform.Hover the mouse pointer over any decoded packet to display its contents.Click-and-drag the decoded data up or down the scope view.If the In Graph display is visible, double-click on any packet to highlight it in thetable.

Menus86Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39In Table displays the decoded data in a table in the serial data window, withadvanced search and filtering functions. Hex... Select the format for displaying decoded data: Hexadecimal Binary ASCII,,or Decimal.Information panelIf the serial decoding parameters entered are incorrect, this panel displays an errormessage. If there is no error, it states the minimum number of samples required for theselected serial data format. For accurate decoding, please make sure that PicoScope iscapturing at least this number of samples. The current number of samples is shown inthe Properties Window (Views menu > View Properties).

PicoScope 6 User's Guide87Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.4.1Advanced Decoder Settings dialogLocation:Tools > Serial Decoding > Advanced SettingsPurpose:Controls serial decoding settings that are not shown in the SerialDecoding dialog.Each protocol has its own selection of options from the following list:Protocol Bit OrderThe bit order, most-significant first or least-significantfirst, as defined by the protocol. For protocols withapplication-specific bit order, such as UART, you mustset this to match to the data format.Decoding Graph SectionWhich section of the waveform to decode: all of it, orjust the part between the time rulersClock Sampling EdgeOn which edge of the clock to sample data bitsInvert Packet BitsInvert all data bitsPacket Start EdgeFor self-clocked protocols, whether rising or fallingedge indicates start of packetData BitsThe number of bits in the data payload of each packetParity BitsThe number of parity-checking bits in each packetStop BitsThe number of fixed bits at the end of each packetChipSelect Active StateThe polarity of the Chip Select signal

Menus88Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.4.2Serial Data windowLocation:Channels toolbar > Serial Decoding button > select In Table in theSerial Decoding dialogPurpose:shows decoded serial data in alphanumeric format and allows advancedfiltering and searching For more information on the format of the table for each serial protocol, see Serialprotocols.If you also selected In Graph in the Serial Decoding dialog, the data will also appear ingraphical form on the scope view. You can click on one of the data packets in thescope view to go to the corresponding row in the table, or you can double-click a rowin the table to zoom to the corresponding frame in the scope view.Control barThe controls in the control bar are as follows:ExportSave the decoded data to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.AccumulateBy default, PicoScope clears the table each time the scope capturesa new buffer full of data. Click this button to enter Accumulatemode, which continues adding serial frames to the end of the tableuntil you click the button again.ViewControls which details of the data appear in the table. The sub-menus are as follows:Frames/Packets:which types of frames or packets are displayedFields:which columns appear in the data tableDisplay Format:hexadecimal, binary, ASCII or decimal formatFont Size:the character size used in the tableLinkThis drop-down list selects a link file thatmaps numbers to strings. The serial datawindow will show these strings in place ofmatching numerical values.Creates a new link file. Use a text editor toadd your own number-string pairs, save thefile, and then open it using the drop-downcontrol. (See also: How to create a link file).

PicoScope 6 User's Guide89Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Start from...Use this button to enter a condition that PicoScope will wait forbefore collecting data. When PicoScope detects a packet thatmatches this condition, it will collect all subsequent data (subject tofiltering, if used - see above) and display it in the table.FilterClick to show the filter bar, which allows you to enter arbitrary dataabove each column in the table. The table will display only thosepackets that match the data you have entered. For example,entering 6C7 in the filter box at the top of the ID column will causeonly frames with an ID of 6C7 to be displayed.StatisticsToggle the statistics columns that list measurements such as packetstart and end times, and signal voltages.SearchSearch for any data value in a specified column of the table.RefreshInstructs PicoScope to decode the raw data again. This is necessaryif you have changed the Start from... condition, for example.ClearClear all data and settings in the table. New data will appear the nexttime that the scope captures a waveform.

Menus90Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.5Alarms dialogLocation:Tools > AlarmsPurpose:gives access to the alarms feature, which specifies actions to be takenon various events Event:Select the event that will trigger the alarm:Capture: when a waveform is captured. If triggering is enabled,this option corresponds to a trigger event. You can therefore usethis function to save a file on each trigger event.Buffers Full: when the number of waveforms in the waveformbuffer reaches the maximum waveform count.Mask(s) Fail: when any channel fails a mask test.(Actions list):Add an action to this list by clicking Add. Whenever the specifiedevent occurs, PicoScope will execute the all the actions in the listfrom top to bottom. NOTE: For an action to execute, its check box must beselected.Apply:Set up the scope according to the settings in this dialog.Add:Add an event to the Actions list. Possible events are:Beep: activate the computer's built-in sounder. 64-bit PCsredirect this sound to the headphone output.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide91Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r39Play Sound: specify the name of a .wav sound file to play.Stop Capture: equivalent to pressing the red Stop button.Restart Capture: equivalent to pressing the green Start button.Use only if the Stop Capture action was used earlier in the list.Run Executable: run the specified EXE, COM or BAT program file.You can type the %file% variable after the program name to passthe name of the last file saved as an argument to the program.PicoScope will stop capturing while the program runs, and resumeafter the program terminates.Save Current Buffer: save the current waveform from the bufferas a .psdata .pssettings .csv , , or .mat file. You can use the %buffer% variable to insert the buffer index number into thefilename, or the %time% variable to insert the time of capture.Save All Buffers: save the entire waveform buffer as a.psdata .pssettings .csv , , or .mat file.Trigger Signal Generator: if the scope device has a triggerablesignal generator, start generating a signal.Enable externalcode execution:As a security feature, to enable Run Executable you must alsoselect the 'Enable external code execution' option.

Menus92Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.6Masks menuLocation:Tools > MasksPurpose:gives control over Mask Limit TestingAdd Masks:Add a mask to the display using the Mask Library dialog.Clear Mask:Remove the mask from the display.Save Mask:Save the displayed mask to disk as a .mask file.6.5.6.1Mask Library dialogLocation:Tools > MasksPurpose:allows you to create, export and import masks for Mask Limit TestingChannel:Select the channel to which you want to apply the mask.Availablemasks:The Library section shows all the masks that you have saved in thepast and not deleted. The Loaded section shows all the masks currentlyin use.Generate:Create a new mask based on the last waveform captured from theselected channel. Opens the Generate Mask dialog.Import:Load a mask that has previously been saved as a .mask file.Export:Save a mask as a .mask file for future import.Apply:Use the selected mask on the selected channel but remain in the MaskLibrary dialog.OK:Use the selected mask on the selected channel and return to the scopeview.

PicoScope 6 User's Guide93Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.6.2Editing a maskTo edit a mask in Mask Limit Testing mode, right-click on the scope view and selectEdit Mask:A mask is made up of one or more shapes called polygons. Click on the polygon youwish to edit. PicoScope will then draw edit handles on the selected mask polygon anddisplay the mask edit box. If you drag any of the handles to edit the polygon, thestatistical results will be updated immediately.The mask edit box looks like this:Normal viewMinimizedviewIf the edit box is not immediately visible, it may have been minimized; in which case,click the restore button: . If you edit the coordinates of a vertex, the statisticalresults will be updated immediately. You can also export the mask to a .mask file withthe export button: . Use the and buttons to add or remove vertices. The minimize+-button has its usual function. To leave mask editing mode, close the mask edit box withthe close ( ) button.XTo add or remove an entire polygon, right-click the scope view and select either the Add Mask Polygon or the Remove Mask Polygon command:

Menus94Copyright © 2007-2015 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.psw.en r396.5.6.3Generate Mask DialogLocation:Mask Library dialog > GeneratePurpose:allows you to set parameters for the automatically generated mask.PicoScope will then create a new mask based on the last capturedwaveform.Name:PicoScope automatically chooses a name for the new mask. You can editthe name in this box.X Offset:The horizontal distance between the waveform and the mask. / This button toggles the offset value between absolute units(SI) and relative units (% of full scale).This button resets the offset value to its default.Y Offset:The vertical distance between the waveform and the mask.